this recipe was originally given to me by my hairdresser about 5 years ago. and when i say "given" i mean he told me to brown some chicken thighs and then simmer them covered in broth with yellow rice until done and that it would just be fantastic. like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

which, for anyone with a bit of cooking experience, it probably is. however at that particular point in my life, i could barely make spaghetti...so i wasn't about to admit that i hadn't the faintest idea of how to "brown" chicken thighs, or even where to find them. i was more in the habit of buying chicken breasts like i was going to cook something and then tossing them out after a couple days when they went bad [and all i'd really succeeded in doing was eating heaps of pizza, tijuana flats and thai food.]

the recipe as he relayed it seemed really complicated and his lack of exact measurements intimidated me out of ever trying it. unnnnntil now! and the funny thing is that this IS actually a really simple one-dish recipe, totally doable for a weeknight dinner.

oh how things change.

some recipes for chicken and yellow rice will include extras such as garlic, onion or bell peppers, and even black beans for added dimension and flavor, but i love this dish kind of pared down. the seasoning in the saffron yellow rice is enough for us, but feel free to experiment!

heat 2 tbsp of evoo in a large skillet over medium heat. while pan is heating, pat chicken thighs dry, brush with evoo and dust with salt and pepper on both sides. once the pan is warm, add the chicken thighs and brown on each side (about 5 minutes per side.) note: as the fat renders, and the skin browns, the thighs will be easier to flip over. keep an eye on them, but if you try to flip and find them sticking to the pan, they probably aren't ready yet. prying them off prematurely will result in ripped skin.

remove the thighs to a plate and remove your pan from heat. carefully drain off all but about 1 tbsp of the oil and fat in the pan and let the pan cool for a couple minutes. gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits, and add the chicken broth. return pan to heat.

pour your rice and 2 tablespoons of butter into your pan and heat on medium-high until boiling, then turn to low. add your chicken thighs back into the pan, nestling them into the rice, cover the skillet, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, until all of the broth has absorbed into the rice.

remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before plating. garnish with parsley and serve hot!